


strings that bind and fray

by treasureanpirates (Miss_I_Know)



Category: One Piece
Genre: Abusive Relationships, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Control Issues, Dark, Donquixote Doflamingo Being an Asshole, Gaslighting, Implied/Referenced Incest, Law Doesn't Leave the Donquixote Family, M/M, Minor Monkey D. Luffy/Trafalgar D. Water Law, Multiple Endings, No Underage Sex, Possessive Behavior, Slow Burn, Twisted and Fluffy Feelings
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-06-28
Updated: 2018-06-28
Packaged: 2019-05-29 20:00:51
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,008
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15080654
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Miss_I_Know/pseuds/treasureanpirates
Summary: In which Law never joined the Donquixote Family,(Until he did.)Rosinante still couldn't shoot his brother,(So, he left.)And Doflamingo cared a little more.(Or did he?)Things change, but stay the same.





	strings that bind and fray

**Author's Note:**

> No underage sex, but Doflamingo definitely being creepy later on. 
> 
> So here's the dark AU I thought of instead of happy Rosinante Lives one, because apparently suffering and porn.

Law woke up to find himself wrapped in warmth, cradled in long arms. He was drowsy weak from the Amber Lead leaving his system. Probably still feverish. He would tell Rosinante as much he decided snuggling closer in a rare moment of accepted affection. The arms adjusted allowing him to bury his face in the crook of the neck. Law kept his eyes closed feigning sleep, which wasn't hard considering how exhausted he still was and how it still clung to the edges of his mind making everything soft and funny.

 

One hand lifted and Law felt feathers brush his face as that feather coat Rosinante would sometimes wear, the one that meant so much, was pulled around him. Law was covered with it, secure in the familiar warmth. After the coat was allowed to frame Law in, the free hand went to his hair. Long fingers brushed through, gently untangling knots there.

 

The movement soothed Law into an almost sleep, before it turned more into lazy petting.  Law grumbled a protest, trying to bury his head under the blanket to hide. The large hand followed, brushing easily through from bangs to cup the back of his head and tugged the coat away.

 

“Rosi-san,” Law protested weakly, burrowing further under the arm that held him so he was pressed more into the side. He sank down his face now pressed against the chest and pulled the edge of the coat now to cover his head.

 

The hand froze at that allowing him the movement. Law didn't notice until after he'd settled in comfortable and warm.

 

(Too warm, part of him noticed distantly. He connected his fuzzy mind, dry mouth, and heavy limbs to a lingering fever from cold and illness.)

 

Only after did he notice the absolute stillness.

 

Slowly, it hurt to open his eyes, Law looked up, angling his face up and peeking at Rosinante with a small frown.

 

The first thing he saw was pink. A halo of pink feathers all around him. Then was the red shirt, red as blood he was clinging to. He followed it to the black tie around a still throat and a familiar, but strange face.

 

The man had the blond hair he'd grown familiar with, the same jaw, and nose. He looked so similar it hurt. This broken image of Rosinante. Rosinante was softer, though. He didn't have the sharpness in those lips or the harsh edge in those cheekbones.

 

Law could feel panic trying to rise, but it died under the heavy feeling of physical exhaustion and sudden stomach emptying fear.

 

It hadn't been a dream. This was no miraculous escape.

 

Law choked back a twisting wail, but couldn't stop tears from falling down his face. He was too weak to do anything about them, shaking and broken.

 

This man wasn't Rosinante for all he looked like him. And Rosinante wouldn't let some strange man take him. Law had heard those bones breaking and the wet blood filled coughs of his mentor.

 

“Rosi-san?” Law managed, desperate and unable to finish his thoughts of the inevitable. His eyes were blurring, so he couldn't be sure, but he thought the stranger softened slightly at the question, wailing really.

 

“Sh,” a deep voice rumbled from the chest Law laid against. That large hand brushed his tears aside. Law turned his face away from the comfort and the hand went back to petting his head. Turning brought his face back to the chest and he hid there, letting the tears fall and soaking the red material.

 

“Rosinante is dead,” the voice said and Law let out one half-sob at that. The voice even sounded similar. A soft accent and manner they shaped their vowels. Like how close relatives had a similar sound. This voice had a smooth, lulling edge Rosinante didn't.

 

Law couldn't hold in at that. Something shattered and he _wailed_. Cried and screamed and sobbed like he hadn't since that night in Flevance. All while cradled and soothed in a stranger's lap. Law wasn't sure if being comforted by a pale imitation of Rosinante made it better or worse.

 

His heart ached and his insides were bleeding as slowly his crying eased and his screams quieted, throat throbbing and dry.

 

The man was humming as he rocked Law like he was some kind of infant.

 

“Y-Your Doflamingo,” Law said, certain as he recognized the nonsense tune as Rosinante favorite.

 

The man stopped again seeming to both be confirming this and waiting for Law's reaction.

 

“R- Rosinante talked about you.” His voice was broken and it burned, but words dragged themself out despite himself, raw and uncensored. “He said he loved you, but you were a monster and he had to leave or he was gonna be forced to hurt you.”

 

All those late night conversations and quiet admissions came back to Law. “He loved you too much. He always said that.”

 

“Did he?” the man asked voice neutral, but Law felt the tautness in his chest, the tremor in his hand.

 

“Yeah,” Law said tiredly. “He loved you too much, ‘cause you still loved him and he couldn't go back home anymore or go back to them.”

 

Law would regret this later, but it was too late now. “I think it was the marines.” he said admitting his fear. “Rosinante said he wasn't one, but I think it was them trying to make him hurt you. So, he left. So they couldn't.”

 

Law closed his eyes and whispered. “He lied. I know he was a marine. I heard them call him a traitor at night when he told that man good-bye.”

 

The still hand started petting him again and so Law, too drained to care, asked, “Are you going to kill me?”

 

The man, Donquixote Doflamingo, hummed and held Law gently.

 

“No,” he told Law slowly and he leaned back so they could both lay down on whatever he sat on.

  
“I have different plans for you.” His smooth voice turned amused as Law was dragged back to sleep. “ _Nephew_.”


End file.
